Custom House Visitor Centre

Updated April 16, 2024

Custom House Visitor Centre – Heritage/Visitor Centre in Exeter, Exeter …

## Custom House Visitor Centre (Exeter): what it is and why it’s worth a stop

The Custom House Visitor Centre sits on Exeter’s historic quayside at 46 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AN, United Kingdom.
It’s a free-admission visitor centre focused on the story of Exeter Quayside, the River Exe, and the Historic Ship Canal, using displays, illustrations, artefacts, and an on-site audio-visual presentation. Exeter

If you want a quick orientation to the quayside’s past—trade, industry, and how this waterfront shaped the city—this is one of the most direct places to start. Exeter

## Quick facts for planning

### Address and contact
– Address: 46 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AN
– Phone: +44 (0)1392 271611
– Email: [email protected]

### Opening hours and admission
– Admission: Free Exeter
– Seasonal hours listed by Visit Exeter:
– April–October: daily 10:00–17:00 Exeter
– November–March: Thu–Sun 11:00–16:00 (Mon–Wed closed in the dated schedules shown) Exeter
– Visit Exeter also notes some dates/times as provisional (subject to change). Exeter

### How long to spend
– Visit Exeter lists an approximate visit length of 30 minutes. Exeter

## What you’ll see inside

### Quayside history, trade, and working life
Inside, the centre uses artefacts and models to explain the development of Exeter’s Quayside, including items linked to the historic cloth industry (Visit Exeter mentions objects such as tenter hooks and tillet blocks). Exeter

A key feature is the audiovisual presentation titled “Exeter, 2000 years of history”, which (per Visit Exeter) runs from Roman times to today. Exeter

### Visitor information and small-shop browsing
Beyond exhibits, the centre also functions as a practical visitor hub—stocking local information and souvenirs such as replica maps, local pottery, and heritage books. Exeter

## The building itself: an important piece of Exeter’s waterfront

The Custom House is described by Explore Devon as a Grade I listed building on the quayside, built in 1680 (attributed there to Richard Allen). Devon
That same source calls it possibly the earliest surviving brick building in Exeter and the earliest purpose-built Custom House in England, linking its construction to expanding port facilities and the growth of the wool trade after the English Civil War. Devon

Explore Devon also notes that H.M. Customs and Excise used the building until 1989, and that it has since had several uses, with the site later tied to quayside cultural activity and visitor information. Devon

## Events and culture: more than a static exhibit

Visit Exeter reports that the Custom House hosts temporary exhibitions and a range of arts and cultural events across the year. Exeter
It also states that since 2019 the centre has been a literature hub for “Quay Words”, with programming focused on stories and writing. Exeter

## Accessibility and languages

Visit Exeter lists several on-site accessibility and language features, including:
– Ramp/level access Exeter
– Guide dogs permitted Exeter
– Support for hearing-impaired visitors, including subtitles and an induction loop (as described in the listing) Exeter
– French and German audio support/subtitles for the audio-visual content (as described in the listing) Exeter

## How it fits into a day on the quay

Visit Exeter notes that the Custom House is the starting point for the “Exeter Historic Quay” tour run by Exeter’s Red Coat Guides. Exeter
Because it’s positioned as an interpretive gateway to the quayside, it pairs naturally with time spent walking the waterfront or exploring quayside businesses—without needing a long time commitment (Visit Exeter’s “30 minutes” is a useful benchmark). Exeter

## Data notes (accuracy + freshness)
– Opening hours can change: the Visit Exeter listing includes dated schedules and explicitly says some times are provisional. Exeter
– Rating: you provided 4.4 as the rating; I haven’t independently verified that against a single canonical source in the material above.

If you want, paste your RealJourneyTravels.com internal URL patterns (or two relevant existing Exeter posts), and I’ll add the two internal links in a way that’s genuinely contextual and not forced.

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